Engineering support and awareness among the masses on various social programmes could soon become easier for the Himachal Pradesh government with the Education department planning to engage all educational institutions for the purpose.

The Education Department has chalked out the plan under the 100 days education agenda as per the directions of the government.

Under the plan, the Education Department has asked all the Deputy Directors of Education at district level to chalk out an action plan to implement the guidelines.

“The Deputy Directors would forward the action plan to all educational institutions under its jurisdiction to participate in social programmes atleast once in three months,” an official of the Education department said.

Apart from social programmes, the students would also be engaged in community service.

Such programmes would be organised for each district and sub-division of the state in every quarter to inculcate social responsibility among students.

“The students would participate in various social programmes of the government as Swachh Bharat Mission, vaccination and other such programmes,” Education minister Suresh Bhardwaj told The Statesman.

He, however, instructed the schools to refrain from unnecessary participation in events organised or attended by politicians.

“The students should not be made to wait or attend the events attended by ministers or MLAs as it would create unnecessary hassles for students as well as the teachers,” Bhardwaj said.

In addition, the Education department has also come up with the unique idea of letting students of higher classes teach students of the lower classes.

In this case too, Deputy Directors have been asked to chalk out a plan and ensure that every student teaches or takes a period of junior students at least once in a quarter.

Further, the list of luminaries produced by a government school would be put up on honour board in all schools on the lines of reputed private schools.

It is worthwhile to mention here that the Education department and HP Police had already launched a joint operation to identify and cure students of drug addiction.

Under the initiative, the Education department officials would keep vigil against drug abuse among students and the Deputy Directors have been tasked with launching preventive measures.

All the educational institutions have been asked to boldly display ill effects of drug abuse within premises and has also been directed that all the students may be educated and sensitised about the ill effects of drug abuse.

The officials have also been asked to identify students who have become drug addicts and instructions have been issued to inform the parents of such students secretly.

The Education department had earlier constituted nodal agency to effectively implement drug trafficking laws.

The agency should include all stakeholders, agencies and departments of government, including Department of Health and Medicine, Social Welfare, Home and NGO’s.